Zipped Together
by Silent Serenade
Summary: A collision with Mamoru minus his green jacket places Usagi in a rather tangled mess. [One Shot]


**Zipped Together**

The concept of being 'zipped together' is from an One Hour Challenge. Visit destinysgateway.com for more information. I am personally very proud of this piece, of which the entire writing period is achieved during classes in school, plus a bonus for not getting caught. 

For Sunya, who shares my belief of 2D men's identity apart from the other species of men, and reminded me that I still have a Sailor Moon fanfiction life and had better start posting and writing. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Usagi fastened her pace as the howling wind whipped her tiny body repeatedly. She cursed herself silently for staying at the arcade longer than necessary, her sense of time lost once again when having fun. The sky was rapidly darkening, and there were still a few streets to her house. Breaking into a sprint, she tried to tackle the morbid weather. 

Perhaps it was her unlucky day, because within a blink of the eye her running was halted painfully as she crashed head-on into an obstructive object. 

For a moment she stood dizzily recovering from the impact, as her mind registered that warm protective arms had kept her from falling. Unconsciously, she lay on his chest, savouring the security he offered amidst the wind. 

"Don't get too comfortable, Odango Atama." 

She jerked her head back, feeling the loss of warmth which he offered, and to her biggest horror, she just took from. 

"As if anyone would do that with you, baka," she retorted with bitterness in her voice, partly to herself. 

Mamoru smirked as his arms loosened, allowing the blonde to escape his hold. The Odango-ed one didn't realise that she had just done so, and it was his job as her tormentor to make that known. 

"You seemed quite content in my arms," he mused. "In fact, I didn't think you'd want to let go." 

Usagi felt blood boil in her face as she contemplated ways to murder the man. How *dare* he accuse her of liking him! Although he did feel quite nice... 

"Oh well. Thanks for catching me! Later then, jerk." With that, Usagi turned to continue her race home, conscious of the biting cold now that Mamoru's heat had left her. 

Neither of them anticipated a yelp of pain followed by Usagi tumbling towards Mamoru as he caught her for the second time that day. 

"You seem to be making this a habit," he whispered in her ear, holding her petite body closer to his. "Are you trying to make a point?" 

Usagi stiffened and shivered involuntarily as she felt Mamoru's lips almost brush her neck, confused yet delighted at this intimacy. She opened her mouth to save at least some of her dignity, but gave up thinking coherently and simply buried her head into his comfortable leather jacket. 

Leather jacket? That got her attention as she realised Mamoru NEVER parted with that distasteful green thing. What had caused him to wear something such as leather? 

"Why are you wearing that?" she questioned, amazement in her tone. 

Mamoru rolled his eyes. "Because it's cold." 

Exasperated, Usagi stamped her foot impatiently, luckily missing his, and tilted her head to meet his eyes. 

"Well, it has a zipper." 

Mamoru stared at Usagi with disbelief, and wondered not for the first time if there was an asylum nearby. He regarded his situation and chose his words carefully. 

"Yes... It does." 

Annoyed at the tone Mamoru used — which implied he was addressing an infant — she gestured to a clump of golden tresses on his chest. 

"My hair happens to be stuck in your zipper." 

To his absolute horror, Mamoru found the insane's words to be true. Indeed there was a disgustingly tangled mess of Usagi's beautiful hair entwined viciously with his jacket. He thought briefly if the warrantee came with insurance from disabled minds but was interrupted as Usagi began to whine in an extremely high frequency. 

"My hair!" she mourned pitifully, unable to accept this harsh reality. "Do you know how long it took me to grow? Even before Shingo was born… What am I going to do without it?" 

Mamoru suppressed a snicker as he imaged a bald Usagi, before dealing with the situation at hand. 

"Come on, let's go to my place," he stated logically, choosing to ignore the expression on Usagi's face. "It'll obviously take some time if you don't want your hair to be damaged too extremely, so we'll go fix it there." 

He wrapped an arm around her waist, again receiving a look of 'shock, horror!', and pulled her close after considering the state of her uniform in the weather. 

"And seeing we won't be running and you're not wearing much, just stick close to me." 

Mamoru took a step, taking Usagi along with him as her eyes remained wide with countless feelings, heading towards Mamoru's apartment. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Upon entering the heated area of Mamoru's apartment, Usagi began to miss his closeness and the way he gently held her throughout their walk, which felt like forever. 

Mamoru breathed a sigh of relief as he was surrounded by the familiar privacy of his residence, glad that they could finally resolve Odango's awkward situation. But as soon as light flooded the room after a flick of a switch, Mamoru wondered regretfully exactly *why* he had bought her to his barren, empty apartment. 

Recovering from the sudden brightness, Usagi surveyed the room, eyes darting from the inconspicuous walls to the thick, lush carpet, and landed on the tidy, organized coffee table by a comfortable looking couch. 

"Come on," Usagi beckoned, tugging at his arm. "We've got to get my hair untangled." 

Slightly amazed at the enthusiastic girl in such a predicament, Mamoru followed like a dog on a leash, and sat with her as they approached the lounge. 

"Now. You do what you have to do, and I'll just... Sit here," Usagi commanded, wanting to get the ordeal over and done with. 

Mamoru quirked an eyebrow and inspected the damage. Oh, what a terrible mess it was! His poor jacket would probably never function the same way again after its zipper had been so disgracefully Odango infested. But what's a well-respectable man got to do? 

He raised a hand to her hair and froze as he experienced the wonderful sensation of the softest, silkiest velvet he ever touched. Mamoru inhaled silently at the feel and wished immediately he hadn't done so as the scent of fresh blooming frangipani flooded his senses. Unable to resist the temptation, Mamoru tenderly ran his hand along the precious locks, revelling in the glorious feel. He could hear Usagi's gasp as his other hand fingered one of her Odangos, admiring the perfect, well-rounded bun, secured by a knot which began the rest of her long, cascading tresses. 

"Why do you bother with them?" he asked almost gently, amazed at such creations. 

Usagi was insulted by his question, yet decided she liked having him play with her hair, even if it was to tease her. 

"I don't know... It's my hairstyle, and I like it." 

Entranced in the moment, Mamoru spoke before allowing the words to process in his central nervous system. 

"I like it too." 

Usagi was afraid to breathe, because needing oxygen would mean she was alive, and if she was alive then her hearing was functioning. Yet the gentle, vibrating tone of his compelled Usagi to turn around wanting to drown in his endless sapphire gaze. 

A slight shift of position granted Usagi her wish, and she became completely mesmerised. 

Mamoru's hand left her odango, and cupped her cheek gingerly, afraid of breaking a fragile piece of porcelain. Slowly, Mamoru dipped his mob of ebony hair towards Usagi's face, eyes locking with hers. 

A beeping of something in Usagi's backpack lying near her feet tore them away from their secluded world, as Usagi's affectionate expression turned to one of shock. 

"I... I have to go now," Usagi whispered frantically and leapt out of her seat, momentarily forgetting the whereabouts of her hair. 

The pain throbbed in Usagi's head as she once again landed in Mamoru's embrace, her sense blurred with waves of agony. 

Frustrated with her helplessness, she felt hot angry tears sliding down her cheek. Before she could wipe them away in annoyance, Mamoru's thumbs gently brushed them aside. Reluctant to succumb to the wonderful feelings erupting within her, Usagi repeated her statement with more urgency. 

"I have to go." 

Mamoru studied her carefully as the device continued ringing, aware of the spark in her eyes. 

"Why?" 

His tone was so sincere and caring that Usagi involuntarily looked at Mamoru, torn between revealing her secret and risking lives whilst being trapped by him. 

"People need me," she spoke slowly, unwilling to tell him more than necessary. "I have to go." 

Mamoru became slightly afraid for the little Odango. What could be so important that it made her a different person in the split of a second? Was it family problems, or perhaps something more? There was only one way to answer these questions. 

Much to Usagi's horror, Mamoru reached for her bag, pulled out her communicator and pressed the button with light that was waiting to be stopped. 

A clear image of a woman with a red-jewelled tiara and black hair appeared on the LCD screen and began shouting furiously. 

"Where have you been, Odango? Youma attacking the ice-cream shop near the Crown, and we need Sailor Moon right now!" 

The connection was cut off, leaving a flabbergasted Mamoru gaping at Usagi. 

"Now can I go?" she asked impatiently, avoiding his gaze. 

"Transform." 

Sighing with defeat, Usagi pulled out her broach and stood up, calling the words which would change her into Tokyo's super-heroine. 

"Moon Prism Power, Make Up!" 

Light blinded Mamoru's vision as he found himself unable to blink or shield his eyes from the blaze. His Odango was not only Sailor Moon, but became naked as swirls of ribbon weaved around her slender body. 

As her eyes opened, Mamoru saw the determination and fire he had seen many times before in their bickering and also noticed in Sailor Moon. How had he not identified it before? 

Her dignified state of transformation instantly fell part upon realising her hair was *STILL* stick in Mamoru's jacket zipper. For a moment she considered actually pulling the tangles away, regardless of results in some very damaged hair. 

A gentle palm enclosed hers, halting Usagi from doing anything drastic. Absorbed in her hazy cerulean eyes, Mamoru smiled, showing a whole new world of light to Usagi. 

His free hand made a swift movement, and the symbol of his feelings was formed perfectly in the delicate blossom. 

Usagi felt light-headed as something clicked in her mind, her heart thumping furiously as she silently hoped for something which couldn't quite be possible. 

A flick of the rose, a rustle of a cape and the appearance of a domino mask left Usagi facing none other than Tuxedo Kamen. 

She saw her once tangled hair descent from his chest, now clad by a crisp white shirt. Something insider her mourned for the loss of intimacy, now that there was no reason to be held close, burying her face into his musky, masculine scent. 

Yet as her own eyes burned with tears of endless emotions, she glimpsed a glow on Mamoru's expression. 

She turned away from him, losing control on her unleashed feelings, and ran towards the balcony for the battle. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He emerged from the shadows, impressed at how Sailor Moon handled herself in this situation. After arriving a few minutes late in his arms, he side stepped into the dark night and was temporarily amused at Sailor Mars' reaction, whom he identified as Rei. The Odango heroine apologised with utmost sincerity before lecturing the stupid-looking monster on the excess consumption of ice cream. 

And before the youma had an opportunity to process her words, Sailor Moon had flung her tiara combined with Sailor Jupiter (Makoto, he was sure)'s ferocious thunder sparks left the ice cream covered monster to be nothing more than a pile of dust. 

Tuxedo Kamen studied the scene before him, where Sailor Moon was dancing around exuberantly at the manager's offer of free ice cream for the heroine. Sailor Mercury, who he was sure by now the quiet, conservative Ami, refused the kind-hearted gestures of the storeowner when he realised the amount of cold confectionary being consumed in the weather was quite unhealthy for the hyperactive girl. 

Her head turned slightly, and she sensed in her peripheral vision the presence of her masked protector. All facades of cheerfulness fell away, and she slowly trudged towards him, unsure of the changes in her life. 

The other girls were puzzled at their leader's sudden change of attitude and followed her line of sight, landing on the lone figure of Tuxedo Kamen shrouded by the falling night. 

She approached him, countless greetings flying in her head, none considered appropriate to voice. So she stood before the man she realised she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, but couldn't express an adequate sentence to show him how much he meant. 

A gloved palm caressed her cheek, and she instantly yearned to feel his skin against hers. Another hand reached for her hair and gently tugged it, once again entranced by the delicately woven silk. 

"I like your Odangos, Usako." 

She smiled. 


End file.
